FARGO, N.D. — A variety of vended laundry projects are completed around the country each year, resulting in brand-new or rejuvenated stores primed and ready to serve customers.
To celebrate the effort that goes into designing, building and equipping today’s modern self-service laundry, American Coin-Op created this Portraits of Success feature to recognize memorable projects of recent vintage.
And so equipment manufacturers were invited to tout their brand’s latest noteworthy vended laundry projects. Here is a story that was shared by Girbau North America:
SmartWash, a new high-speed laundry in Fargo, North Dakota, was designed and equipped to maximize convenience, customer turnover, and full- and self-service revenue. It features a 5,000-square-foot self-service laundry and a separate 2,000-square-foot wash/dry/fold (WDF) space. Both harness soft-mount Continental Girbau Genius® Washers.
Anchored by a grocery store, SmartWash is Fargo’s first new laundry in 20 years, according to co-owners James McDonald and Casey Brovold. It draws from a middle-income neighborhood dense with rentals, a higher-income area about a mile away, and the student population of nearby North Dakota State University (NDSU).
The Laundry Solution Inc., a distributor in Grand Forks, N.D., provided expert guidance, assisting with demographic studies, competitive analyses, store design, equipment mix and more.
“Our building is an L shape,” says Brovold. “The WDF section makes up the small part of the ‘L’ with room to pull a delivery vehicle inside. As we grow, there’s also plenty of room to accommodate a flatwork ironer for pressing bed and table linens.”
Designed to handle a large influx of full-service orders, the WDF area features an independent water-heating system that raises temperatures to 180 F, plus 23- and 45-pound-capacity Genius Washers and 30- and 55-pound ExpressDry+ Dryers.
The washers can quickly switch from a self-service, customer-facing user interface and programming to an attendant-facing user interface with sophisticated commercial programming and chemical injection for processing WDF orders.
The high water temperatures work with the commercial chemistry to remove stains and oils from spa and restaurant linens, according to Brovold.
Adding to customer convenience is free pickup and delivery, while behind the scenes, a Wash-Dry-Fold POS system tracks orders, automatically messages customers and delivers robust reporting.
The self-service laundry’s equipment mix consists of Genius Washers in 23-, 45- and 80-pound capacities; ExpressDry+ 30- and 45-pound stack dryers; and ExpressDry+ 75-pound single-pocket dryers. The washers feature 360° Vision Corner Status Lights that illuminate in different colors as load status changes, keeping customers apprised.
SmartWash amenities include free Wi-Fi, 75-inch televisions, a kids’ play space, an ATM, vending machines, extra-wide aisles, and a spacious lounge area.
Customers use the PayRange app to pay with credit card or Apple Pay. PayRange harnesses a secure PCI-compliant processor to guarantee security. “Customers love it,” Brovold says.
North Dakotans also love hockey, so two Genius Washers automatically inject chemistry and offer a “Hockey Wash” and “Jersey/Workout Gear Wash,” according to McDonald. “These cycle offerings are unique in the area and we advertise them directly to sports complexes and arenas,” he says. They command a higher vend price.
Self-service cycle offerings also include “Heavy Warm,” “Heavy Cold,” “Normal Hot,” “Normal Warm,” “Normal Cold,” “Quick Wash” and “Delicates.” Customers choose among them from a large, 10-inch touchscreen user interface.
The soft-mount Genius Washers generate sustained extract speeds of 450 G-force to remove moisture, cutting dry times. This contributes to faster customer-rotation rates, reducing congestion during busy times and enabling customers to complete their laundry in 60 minutes or less.
Designed to impress with a spacious, modern vibe and top-notch customer service, SmartWash is exceeding expectations. “Just two months after opening, we hit break-even, so we’re on track for a full return on investment in just three years,” says McDonald.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Bruce Beggs at [email protected].
